Belgrove aiming to build 150 apartments on land parcel at GAA grounds

Developer Belgrove Homes is buying a parcel of land at the Dolphin Park GAA ground in Dublin, the Herald understands.

The ground hosts games for Templeogue Synge Street GAA Club, Kevin's Hurling Club and a number of school teams.

It is expected that Belgrove will seek to build around 150 apartments at the site.

Belgrove, which declined to comment when contacted yesterday, is run by developer Gerry Haughey, previously of Dorville Homes.

It is also working on projects at Blackrock and Upper Glenageary Road in the capital.

Templeogue Synge Street took the ground on an 850-year lease from the Christian Brothers in the early 2000s, and the order is set to benefit from the sale under the terms of the lease.

The sale of the land has caused controversy in the local community, with Kevin's Hurling Club coming out against it.

Templeogue Synge Street issued a statement to members that said the sale was designed to modernise the facilities at the ground.

Needs

It wants to introduce floodlighting for pitches as well as an all-weather facility.

It added that it wanted to ensure that the club is "fit-for-purpose to serve the needs of the area for generations to come".

"The growth of the GAA in recent years means modern facilities are essential to cater for the needs of current and future players and teams," the statement said.

"We are factoring in the needs of all those who currently use the site, including Kevin's hurling club. We enjoy a very good working relationship with Kevin's and all the schools. We do not anticipate any change to Kevin's and the schools abilities to use the site in future years."

The sale is one of a number of recent controversies over the disposal of playing pitches for housing.

The Christian Brothers have been looking to sell playing pitches at Clonkeen College in Deansgrange, in a move that has sparked court action from some members of the board of management.

Last month, a judge criticised the "behaviour and attitude" of the parties. Ms Justice Carmel Stewart said she had "an extremely dim view" of the manner in which both sides had behaved during the dispute.

The judge said that while she accepted both parties believed they had the best interests of the school in mind, she thought they had used improper tactics and had "placed the court in a most invidious position".

There have also been protests about plans to build 500 units on land used as playing pitches by St Paul's College in Raheny.